Poppy Louise Is Not Afraid of Anything

February 13, 2017
The narrative nut of this book is found not in the title but on the third page. “The problem is,” writes McCarthy (Lola Knows a Lot), “none of Poppy’s friends are as brave as she is.” That means Poppy’s fearlessness is repeatedly quashed: “How do we get up on your roof?” she asks her friend Finn. “We don’t,” Finn responds without looking up from his book. Poppy’s family errs on the side of caution, too—Mom nixes a nighttime hike—and Poppy’s sister, Petunia, adds a touch of resentment to the dynamic. But Poppy’s spirit is never crushed, nor does her attitude turn disdainful (“Rats” is all she says to Finn’s brushoff). Idle (the Flora books) vivaciously catalogues the exploits of a girl as resilient as she is brave. Unfortunately, McCarthy doesn’t quite know what to do with her heroine: the story wraps up with Poppy stranded in a tree and needing the assistance of her friends. Sure, it’s hard to be courageous and imaginative 24/7, but giving Poppy a comeuppance seems unfair and unnecessary. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Laurie Abkemeier, DeFiore and Company. Illustrator’s agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words.

February 1, 2017
A fearless young girl thinks she can conquer anything, until one moment leaves her quaking.Poppy Louise, a blonde-ponytailed white tot, is very disappointed in her friends. They would rather put together a puzzle than tell ghost stories, or read a book about space instead of climbing to the roof to get closer to the moon. Even Poppy's own sister always takes the safe route (or as she calls it, "wise"). But one fateful day, Poppy climbs a tree to rescue a friend's rocket ship and realizes she may not be as brave as she thinks. Luckily, her sister and friends are there to help. The string of anecdotes has amusing moments (Poppy scoops up spiders with glee, wants to take a nighttime hike to see mountain lions, and presses herself face to face with the alligator at the zoo), but the one-note joke can get a bit stale. Luckily Idle's illustrations provide the needed energy to propel the page turns. Expressive and exuberant, Poppy shines, even when she is tangled in the bushes with only her hand out and thumb extended to show she is all right. Budding daredevils just may learn Poppy's lesson right alongside her. (Picture book. 4-8)

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March 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-With an understanding of siblings and their often vast personality differences, this book presents Poppy Louise Littleton and her sister Petunia. Petunia, the "careful sister," thoughtfully considers each of her own actions and is irritated at her sibling's irrational impulsiveness, but fearless Poppy Louise leads a life of imagination and spontaneous adventure. Snakes, monsters, bears, sharks, vampires, mummies, alligators, a speeding roller coaster, a skateboard ride on the stairs, or an exploration of the darkest part of the basement-nothing seems to rattle Poppy as she pushes ahead to embrace life. But her exuberance suddenly flags when she climbs to the top of an exceptionally tall tree. "It's very far away. I like it up here," Poppy insists, hiding her reservations about making her way down. A soft pastel palette allows readers to easily view her delight in all things dangerous and her hesitation when she finally discovers something she actually fears. VERDICT A general purchase for all libraries, this book may especially appeal to readers with sibling issues of their own.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2017
Grades K-2 Poppy Louise definitely demonstrates more courage than the average kid, whether she's facing spiders, roller coasters, or dark basements. Seemingly fearless, she puts her friends and especially her big sister, Petunia, to shame. Examples of Poppy Louise's amazing exploits accrue, until the day she fearlessly scales a tree to rescue her friend Finn's rocket. Suddenly, Poppy seems a little reluctant to climb back down. So reluctant that Petunia and Finn need to fetch a ladder and gently guide her back to earth. Lesson learned? The audience (and Petunia) will get the message, even if Poppy Louise doesn't seem to. The wonderfully rendered illustrations feature facial expressions and posturing that capture the gung ho, flailing enthusiasm of Poppy Louise, her forbearance with the seeming shortcomings of her peers, and the calm, understated rhythms and pirouetting of other characters as they go about their normal activities. This rollicking and reassuring tale with delightfully engaging artwork is a natural for storytime and should appeal to both daredevils and scaredy-cats alike.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)